Sindh, Balochistan extend lockdown amid rising Covid-19 cases

Sindh extends lockdown till June 30, meanwhile, Balochistan has extended the lockdown till June 16

KARACHI/QUETTA: The provincial governments of Sindh and Balochistan on Monday extended the coronavirus-induced restrictions in the two provinces in view of the increasing number of the local-transmission of the Covid-19 cases, according to the official notifications issued in Karachi and Quetta.

In Sindh, the government extended the lockdown till June 30. Education institutions, marriage halls, sports clubs, training centres, beauty parlours, cinemas, theatres, clubs will remain closed. Business activities would be allowed from 6am to 7pm.

The government said that the decision to allow public transport to ply would be taken on Tuesday. It added that resultants would only provide takeaway and home delivery services.

In Quetta, the Balochistan home department notification said that the government had extended the lockdown across the province till June 16. The department said that the coronavirus might cause “devastating consequences, illness and deaths”.



The notification said that shopping malls, markets, shops, stores could function from 9am to 7pm for six days of week. Friday would be a closed holiday for business community with all business components remaining closed.

“All public gatherings, inter-city and inter-province travel and religious gatherings would be banned,” the notification said. “It is mandatory to take all pragmatic and possible measures to contain and counter the further spread of coronavirus on war footings,” it added.

The government warned of strict action against the violators of the restrictions. There were sufficient grounds to proceed under section 144 of "The Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898", as an immediate preventive and speedy remedy to ensure public safety, conserve lives and maintain peace and tranquillity in Balochistan, the notification said.